Tanagra Wine and Guest Farm

About

Tanagra Wine and Guest Farm is close to McGregor and is on the Robertson Wine Route. It produces great wines in its boutique wine cellar, and stylish Grappa and Eau de Vie in its distillery.

Your hosts, Robert and Anette, will gladly introduce you to the farm and the area, and serve memorable breakfasts in the conservatory, which is part of the old homestead, at a long table with panoramic views on the mountains.

A bird guide, books and games are available in the breakfast lounge. Restaurants and shops are less than 5km away.

Tanagra offers a choice of accommodation, and provides a large folder with lots of information about the farm and the area in each cottage. Four of the cottages are located around the old historic homestead and the boutique wine cellar, while Hill Cottage and Faraway Cottage are located in the midst of fields of fynbos away from everything and everybody. The latter two are self-catering only. All units are en-suite with showers, while Bottlebrush, Hill Cottage and Faraway have baths too.

Faraway has two bedrooms, and is built on the most solitary spot of the farm. It is completely off the grid, with solar and wind power, and no Wi-Fi – just fynbos, mountains, endless skies and silence. It combines the traditional features of a Cape Langhuis with an eco-friendly and modern design, with unobstructed views of the magnificent landscape throughout. Hill Cottage is a romantic and very private one bedroom cottage. It sits alone on a hill, and is surrounded by indigenous fynbos. It overlooks the Tanagra vineyards and has breathtaking views of the McGregor valley.

Loft Studio is located above the winery, and is a spacious one bedroom studio with considerable roof slope. It features a large, sunny wooden deck providing scenic views of the mountains, the beautiful farm dam and the vineyards. Garden Cottage is a spacious one bedroom country cottage with a coloured screed floor and reed ceiling. It is located in the garden next to the pool. Private deckchairs are available in the garden.

Bottlebrush and Gumtree are two charming and spacious one bedroom apartments. They are part of the large guest wing attached to the old Tanagra homestead. Wooden floors and high vaulted reed ceilings keep these apartments light and airy. Each apartment has a private entrance, built-in kitchenette, and a covered verandah with a stone bench and a mobile braai available. Private deckchairs are available in the garden.

Relax under the magnificent old wild fig tree in the garden or at the pool, watch the birds, stroll along, swim or go fishing in the big dam, go for anything from a leisurely walk on the farm to a more serious hike in the adjoining Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve, go biking on the various mountain bike trails in the vicinity, explore McGregor, or just sit with a good book and a cool glass and chill out on your verandah on a lazy afternoon. In the evening, unwind under the Karoo stars with a bottle of wine. Tanagra is a treasure waiting for you - come and find it.

2 Units: Self-Catering Only

Each unit has a private entrance, open fireplace, fully equipped kitchenette, private verandah, and wonderful views

Pricing

Double Units

R 350 - R 450 pp sharing

Faraway

R 425 - R 600 pp (4 sharing)

Rates vary depending on type of unit and number of guests R 125 surcharge for B&B option (only available from November to March)

Catering

Self-catering with B&B option in 4 units

Kids

Kids are welcome. Young children need parent supervision at the pool.No charge if you bring your own bedding or kids share the parents' bed.Extra beds possible for children in Faraway at R 175 pp.

Why Stay Here?

Situated in the McGregor/Robertson valley at the border of the Klein Karoo, Tanagra is an idyllic wine farm surrounded by vineyards, indigenous fynbos and mountains. Most of the 78ha farm is accessible by various hiking and mountain bike trails, and it is right next to the Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve. A variety of activities and seasonal festivals is available in the area. Tanagra is the ideal place for wine and nature lovers seeking a peaceful countryside experience. It offers a laid-back farm ambience - home from home on a working farm in McGregor.

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Cape Winelands

Highlights

About

As the name suggests, the Cape Winelands is an area of vines and vineyards; the berries of which are responsible for that most delicious fermented juice of the grape: wine. The region is well known for its proliferation of estates and cellars that continually create quality wines throughout the cultivar spectrum.

This is an area that encourages leisurely meanders along its various wine routes, absorbing the natural beauty of the rural surroundings.

The region stretches northwards from the eastern outskirts of Cape Town. In the south the popular and trendy towns of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek nestle in the shadow of the mountains that make up the Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve. To the west the popular tourist ‘Route 62’ follows the Breede River Valley. It takes in the town of Robertson, the quaint village of McGregor and continues to Worcester.

North, across the N1 highway, the historic towns of Paarl, Wellington and Tulbagh are strung out between a series of mountains. In the far north-east, the town of Ceres is a dot in a sweeping valley of fruit orchards.

Craggy mountains are a feature of the landscape, giving rise to the region also being called the Boland (High Land). The mountains include the ranges of the Groot Drakenstein, Langeberg, Hexrivier and Witzenberg. Their steep rocky peaks plunge to gentler gradients rich in fynbos and proteas, before levelling out in fertile valleys threaded with chortling streams.

In these low-lying areas, suspended between the slopes, vineyards stretch in patchwork patterns. Like an artist’s palette the area changes with the seasons - from subtle spring pastels, through lush summer greens, to the earthy shades of autumn.

Not only are the Cape Winelands a delight for connoisseurs of fine wines; the towns themselves are centres for a host of enjoyable pastimes. Many are steeped in history and have magnificent collections of traditional Cape Dutch and period architecture.

These are best viewed during a stroll along the leafy streets. The historic Church Street in Tulbagh has the largest concentration of provincial monuments in one street in South Africa. The university town of Stellenbosch, with its oak-lined boulevards, is the second-oldest town in the country, dating back to 1671. Today it is an important cultural centre with a host of galleries and museums, and the country’s oldest music school.

Franschhoek, reclining in a somnolent valley ambience, entices gourmets to sample its fare at some of South Africa’s top restaurants. McGregor is well known for its life-enriching tranquillity and Ceres for its fruit production and snow-covered mountains in winter. Besides their wineries, Robertson and Worcester are known for the production of some of South Africa’s best known brandies – Klipdrift and KWV, respectively.

The winelands is great country in which to enjoy a leisurely trip along minor roads that fade into the fynbos. They will take you into valleys and gorges, past barns stacked with bales of lucerne, and paddocks with grazing sheep and lazing cows. Around farmsteads and cottages, chickens strut their stuff and pigs wallow in slushy heaven. Dams mirror the sky and hillsides, their reflections rippled by drifting and preening waterbirds. Tractors till the land, and labourers and farmers wave to every passer-by.

For centuries the terroir here has been ideally suited to the production of great wine and today, more than ever before, it is also conducive to the making of good times and fond memories. The Cape Winelands is a region to relax in, whilst inhaling the warm, scented air and indulging in the finer things in life.

Look out for

Wine tasting – naturally this is a popular and pleasant pastime in the region. The Stellenbosch wine route, established in 1971, is the oldest in South Africa. Today other routes lead to the cellars and estates around virtually every town in the region. Many of the wineries offer tasting and sales from Monday to Saturday. Maps are available from the tourism office in each town.

Brandy tasting – this much-loved spirit is produced by a good number of cellars and specialist distillers throughout the region. There are 2 brandy routes in the region. The Western Cape Brandy Route winds through Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl and Wellington. The R62 Brandy Route goes through Robertson and Worcester. Many of these offer tasting, tours and sales from Monday to Friday.

Historical towns – the Cape Winelands is rich in history, with most towns and many of the wine estates having their own collections of historical buildings, museums and monuments. The region is synonymous with Cape Dutch and Victorian architecture. Highlights include Church Street in Tulbagh and the De Oude Drostdy Museum just outside the town. There are Zeederberg Square and the Paarl Museum in Paarl, and Klein Plasie open air Museum in Worcester. Twenty declared National Monuments are in Wellington and there is the Huguenot Memorial and Museum in Franschhoek.

Scenic drives – where there are mountains and valleys there are always scenic roads and passes to explore; here is no exception.

River rafting – the Breede River is the sixth largest river in South Africa and is a playground of fun and adventure.

Art galleries – the towns are home to a host of artists and galleries. The Stellenbosch Gallery and Rupert Gallery in Stellenbosch are popular and showcase art through many mediums and genres.

Wildlife on display – the area has a number of parks that allow one to get close to a variety of wild creatures in captivity. Some of the better known ones include the Drankenstein Lion Park, Butterfly World, Paarl Bird Sanctuary and the Le Bonheur Crocodile Farm - all situated between Paarl and Stellenbosch.

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